On January 31st, Michigan State University (MSU) hosted this years Women’s Spartan Smackdown no-sting tournament! This was the last big no-sting event before nationals, which we now know will be hosted by University of Akron. It was amazing to see all those who showed up especially the teams who could form secondary teams! The day was long and each team played hard, so let’s take a look at how they did and read about what some players thought about the day!
MSU Green (5-0)
MSU Green (MSU’s A team) was the only team who had a perfect score at this event. Throughout the day, their gameplay was tight and fierce, and it was obvious how hard they’ve worked this year. It didn’t matter who they were playing; they played with the same intensity and determination in each game with the goal to win. Much like last season, Allie Pohl and Ava Stack provided instrumental support and direction when it came to strategizing and attacking. They exhibit the drive and dedication to the game that any player could aspire to have.
Overall, their most challenging game was against Akron A where they won by one point. It really tested their skill and endurance as it was game four out of five. Conversely, they had a hard time scoring very many points on UIUC where they went 3-1. They kept their strategy tight while battling long points, and they managed to come out on top despite their exhaustion. It will be interesting to see how nationals goes for MSU; if they can beat Akron here, surly things will go smoothly for them next time.
MSU White (4-1)
MSU has amazing players both on their A team and their B team, and their rookies have a great understanding of how to play smart and what their coach expects from them. Their most intense game was against the mixed team where they only scored two points to their one point. Another game that challenged them was against UWP which was the only game they lost. While losing isn’t ideal, the game against Platteville tested their ability to hold down their strategy without getting in their heads about how their game was turning out. They also played the only game that went into over time–UIUC really had them on the ropes until the very end. When playing Akron B, they communicated well and traded off throwing when their numbers got low. They were down 4-3 in the first half, but had a huge surge to score six more points by the end to take the win. It will be exciting to see how these ladies fight and grow in the remaining season as they fight for the championship.
Akron A (4-1)
For those who didn’t know, Akron is the reigning champion of the women’s league, and they demonstrated why that is at this event. While their day wasn’t perfect due to their loss against MSU Green, they scored a total of 36 points which was more than any other team at the tournament. MSU was right on their tail with a total of 35. Their strategy is always clean, and their athleticism and experience across both NCDA leagues gives them the upper hand over MSU who only play no-sting. Leaders Alexis Schultz and Addy Gmerek as well as veteran Nicole Cutich utilize there experience to establish hard pressure with pump fakes which keeps their opponents from getting throws off while letting their teammates set up smarter, more effective attacks. It is incredible to watch these women on the court because they take the game and make it their own; their passion is refreshing and encouraging.
Akron B (2-2)
Although they are on the B team, these ladies are not to be taken lightly. They play hard and throw with the intent to get outs. The team is made up of more rookies than vets, but it’s easy to overlook their inexperience with how well they play. Just like MSU B, they only played four games compared to the five games the other teams played. It’s wonderful to see all the people interested in dodgeball to warrant a second team; the growth of the women’s league over the past few seasons is a great experience as more teams bring more challenges and hopefully more victories. Shout out to captain Mary Mullen for leading her team while providing great coverage and great communication. She isn’t someone to play down to her opponent, and she gives her teammates ample opportunity to shine.
UWP (1-4)
UW-Platteville has been on an uphill climb ever since establishing their women’s team last season. They have been unable to attend most no-sting events due to travel restrictions or not having a team to register, but they have worked incredibly hard to make up that distance in no-sting. Since last season, they lost three veteran players either to graduation or other means, but they recruited enough to still compete. This event allowed the rookies to truly get a feel for what no-sting has to offer especially as we approach nationals.
UWP is a team that sticks strictly to a play style that works very well for them. When they get in the groove, it’s hard to knock them out. Their strategy is unity, ball control, and pressure; once those are achieved, they can execute their hard-practiced team throws. While their scores left much to be desired, their hard work shouldn’t be overlooked. They play each game with intent to score and the intent to win; no matter the caliber of their opponent, they always try their best and keep their heads high. Big shout out to #14 Reagan Bucholtz! She was keeping constant pressure right at the attack line, was always ready to block for her teammates, and had her eyes on the entire court. She has really grown as a player in no-sting as well as pinch dodgeball, and as her former teammate, I couldn’t be more proud. Let’s hope the rest of their season brings more opportunities to play no-sting as they prepare for nationals.
UIUC (2-3)
Illinois is another new team fighting for their place in the league, and this event proved they have what it takes to take on strong opponents like MSU and Akron. Their game against MSU A earned them one point to MSU’s three, but Akron took a bigger chunk out of them with a score of 8-0. They play hard and fast no matter their opponent, and it’s hard to get a grasp on their unpredictable strategy. They are a team that’s good at catching, and they tend to rely on blocking and resetting instead of throwing hard attacks, but they make it work.
They played some of their longest points against UWP in a game of only three points. This forced them into relying on strategizing more in order to ensure their throws mattered and energy wasn’t wasted. It was clear that they were beginning to take notes on how their opponents played, and they began to implement that experience into their own game play which helped them get out less and to secure more points. Their participation in the event was a last minute decision, but I’m sure they agree it was a good one.
NKU (1-4)
NKU’s women’s team has come so far since last season, and the growth in their veteran player Mia Richardson (#14) is evident of their team’s success. Additionally, Mia’s co-captain, #18 Morgan Russell, is vital to their team’s strategy. She pushes up hard, keeps pressure on her opponents, and throws with all she’s got. Her leadership gave her team the drive and determination to finish every point strong regardless of if they won or lost.
Once they got a few games underneath them, there strategy really began to come together. When facing bigger foes like Akron A and MSU Green, their defense became priority and it forced them to make smart decisions. These teams require thought out choices in order to be successful against them, and it forced NKU out of their comfort zone of throwing whenever and at whomever. Regardless, they grew into themselves as the day progressed, and this rookie team undoubtedly impressed many people who saw them play. It is amazing to see how far this team has come in only a year; they went from playing on the mixed team to having their own.
NCDA Mixed (1-4)
For a team of five players across three different schools, the mixed team performed well at this event. For starters, the growth that the individual players have exhibited since last year is incredible to see. Kent’s Angel Kothomdi is like a whole new player! Her confidence lead her to making several catches, and she was able to read her teammates moves to be an effective member of the mixed team. Secondly, Dani Swett is a formidable opponent with her powerful throw and speed on the court. She made sure to support her teammates with harsh counters and strategic catches to keep points alive. Both Bowling Green gals played hard and utilized their connection to set up blocks and make safe throws while keeping their opponents on their toes. Their collaboration was a refreshing addition to the tournament, and it reminded us to have fun!
Interview Questions
What are a couple takeaways (positive or negative) you got from this event?
Paige Misner (PM) (MSU): Some takeaways we had were that it’s great we have more teams now, we’ve never had a tournament with so many full teams, we’ve just need to make some efforts to retain them.
Naila Kudla (NK) & Tera Pabico (TP) (UIUC): A main takeaway we took from this tournament is to continue working harder as this is just the beginning! We’re happy to see our hard work showcased in our games, but there’s a lot more we need to work on. We were happy to be there and we’re excited to improve for nationals! I was really proud of our team for our perseverance and ability to adapt. For it being our first tournament, we’re not really used to playing for this long, but we still had energy, stayed together, and stood our ground.
Alexis Schultz (AS) (Akron):
1. Sadie Hill is a beast (41 solo kills + 9 catches on the day).
2. Don’t throw at Layla Holt.
3. The girls in the league want every opportunity they can to play. A couple of our games got shortened at the end of the day after we ran way over with with shortening them, but even teams with far drives wanted to get more playing time in and stayed. Which shows how important is to keep no-sting matches at pinch tournaments because I feel it has been helping with turnout and participation among the women’s league.
Hollie Wheeler (HW) (UWP): It was an amazing opportunity for our club to face opponents we don’t get to play often. We got to see different play styles and lots of talented players. One of the biggest positives is just how kind, supportive, and encouraging the players are on every team. They know how to have fun and keep the energy positive at these events.
Morgan Russell (MR) (NKU): One major takeaway is how important communication is. Talking helps all six people stay on the same page and make quality burns and throws to maintain ball control. Communication is not only important on the court but off it too as it creates a strong team and good chemistry. We got to witness this first hand at the Spartan Smackdown.
Danielle Swett (DS) (Mixed): A positive takeaway from this event was I got to see my new teammate play and got to learn what her strengths and weak spots were! With those in mind we’re able to work on those weak spots in practice so she keeps getting better!
What was something your team did well? What do you think your team could improve for next time?
PM: Both our teams did pretty well, the green team went 5-0 and I think we all feel like our roster is starting to gel well together and we are starting to really understand our strategy. There are still things we all need to work on individually though and as a team in the next few months.
NK & TP: What we plan to work on for our next tournament is to strengthen our fundamentals and improve our strategy as a whole, we believe doing this will allow us to work better as a team.
AS: For both teams, I was really happy how well-rounded we played. We had a lot of players step up to the plate when we needed them. I think we could improve how quickly we adapt. We did ok adjusting in between points, but sometimes during points if things weren’t working we continued making the same mistake the entire point.
HW: I think our team did well communicating and playing our style, especially with how this was the first time our women’s team has gotten to truly play together in this kind of atmosphere. We each have things to improve on both individually and as a team. We played hard against every opponent, and I hope to take home more points in the future. There were so many good points that we were so close to earning, so I know our opponents should be on the lookout for future matches.
MR: I think our team made a lot of good catches, and we can win games with that strength. One thing we have to work on is not throwing catches to the other team. We often found ourselves up in a 4v2 situation, but then made careless throws which turned it into a 2v4 against us. We need to focus on better burn-ball placement.
DS: GV doesn’t have a full team so we’re always on the mixed team, I think one thing the mixed team does really well is being able to adapt throughout the tournament. Always playing with new people you usually don’t play with is hard, but I think the mixed team does pretty well at adjusting when needed to be adjusted! One thing the team could improve on is communication! Again not ever playing together makes it hard to know how everyone plays so I think more communication is key when playing on the mixed team!
What is a goal (or goals) you hope your team will accomplish by or at nationals?
PM: We want to have a complete tournament at nationals. Every year we do so well until finals, and we want to focus on getting out of our head and playing like we know we can play.
NK & TP: A plan for nationals is to strengthen our team strategy and connection, as well as our accuracy. Have everyone be a leader on the court and be able to take charge, and increase our overall confidence!
AS: A team: win nationals!
B team: add more wins to their record. They played better than they ever had at MSU and I would love for them to continue that momentum through the end of the season
HW: We want to score at least one point in every game we play. If we can score one, it means we are capable of taking more points. I also want to bring a full team with subs to nationals and reach the final four teams.
MR: I want to see our team flourish at nationals because I truly believe we can surprise people if we continue to practice and grow in our understanding of the game.
DS: One goal I have is winning the non competitive bracket. Both times at women’s nationals the mixed team competes in the non competitive bracket and we’ve made it to the finals both times only to lose against MSU’s B team. My goal this year is to finally win against them in the finals!
What has been your favorite highlight of the season thus far?
PM: I don’t know about the team but my personal highlight was this tournament and seeing how women’s dodgeball has spread from my first year, since I’m a senior. We have quite a few seniors who were here for that first year and I think all of us are really tying to cherish this last year with everyone, not just our team but the whole league.
NK & TP: My personal favorite highlight of my women’s season has to be this tournament! We really enjoyed getting to meet more teams, gain more experience, and just have fun! We appreciate MSU for hosting and allowing us to come, it made a great impact on our team.
AS: My favorite highlight was the drive to/from MSU. We rented a team van for all of us and it was a blast. I feel like we bonded a lot, especially with the rookies who came.
HW: Scoring three points against MSU White and winning the game was my favorite highlight. We communicated well, our throws were hitting, and we felt like an unstoppable team together. those points proved that we are capable, and they show exactly what attitude and confidence we need to have on the court all the time.
MR: My favorite highlight of the season so far has been seeing the team come together in Michigan and truly start to understand the game. Gaining that experience as a team has helped prepare us for nationals, and finally having a full women’s team for NKU will make it even more meaningful.
DS: My favorite highlight would have to be the trip down to Ohio University for the Bobcat Bonanza! We took vans this year and although the drive is long you really get to bond with your team and it’s a really great time!
Final Thoughts
This tournament allowed us viewers to glimpse what the future of the league will look like. It was great to see all the young teams and rookie players turn up and fight hard in every game, and the veteran teams set a stern example of what is expected of them at nationals.
If you missed any games or want to catch up on other Dodgeball clips, check out the NCDA’s YouTube Channel or check out other articles at https://ncdadodgeball.com/!